What could've been
by ggta4ever
Summary: “Jess wait!” She says running to catch up with him. “Why?” He says turning around only to have her arms thrown around his neck and her lips pressed to his. The end of Nag Hammadi.
1. Never know what's gonna happen

Watching my favorite episode, got inspiration.

Own nothing, you would see a difference trust me.

--

" I get to leave first." Rory says before running down the street.

"Rory wait! Stop!" Jess says before taking off after her.

"No you don't get to walk away."

"Hold on."

"My town." She says abruptly turning and going left. "I leave."

"I just wanna," He stops for half a second kidding slightly, "Where are you going?"

"None of your business."

"We look like idiots."

"I don't care." She scoffs.

"Stop running."

"Stop following." She says immaturely.

"Oh come on."

"Go away, I'm leaving." She says over her shoulder.

"Rory stop."

"Why?"

"Cause I wanna talk to you." He says coming around her side.

"About what?" She says stopping and turns to him, "what do you wanna talk to me about?"

"When did you learn to run like that?"

"You know I have actually thought as this moment, what would Jess say to me if I ever saw him again? I mean he just took off no note no call, nothing. Then a year goes by no word nothing, so he couldn't possibly have a good excuse for that right? I have imagined hundreds of different scenarios with a hundred different great last parting line, and I have to tell you that I am actually very curious to see which way this is going to go."

"Could we sit down?"

"No you wanted to talk so talk, what do you have to say to me."

He takes before breathing out, "I love you."

Rory looks down at street, "that was one of them."

She looks up when his feet disappear from view.

"Jess wait!" She says running to catch up with him.

"Why?" He says turning around only to have her arms thrown around his neck and her lips pressed to his.

He eyes are wide for a second before bringing his hand up to her hair.

--

Lorelei walks into the house, "Rory where were you? You didn't meet me at the bonfire. I got worried and ate, which isn't an odd thing to do but it was out of love this time."

She walks into Rory's room to find no one there, "and you're not even here. Perfect."

--

Rory rolls over slightly to lay on Jess's bare chest. He puts his arm around her and kisses the top of her head.

"Ok, wow." Rory says running her hand over Jess's chest lightly.

He chuckles. "Yeah. So should talk now or later?"

"Well we should probably talk now."

"It would be the adult thing."

"Yes it would."

"But I want to stay right here, in this moment for a little bit longer."

"I'm good with that. I didn't hurt you did I?"

"No." She says softly kissing his chest lightly. "You love me?"

He smirks, "yeah I do."

She smiles and leans up to kiss him again, "I love you too." She says and kisses him again.

"I like your hair." He says running his fingers through it.

"Thank you."

His hand runs down from her hair to her cheek, he pulls her to him again and kisses her.

The door of the apartment opens suddenly making them jump apart.

Luke walks in taking off his jacket throwing it on the chair of the kitchen table.

* * *

Definetly not a one shot. Review please(:

They seriously keep me going. Let me know what you want to see, I'll make it happen in some way.


	2. The heartbreak of finding out the truth

Pretty good response, most of the time I'm good about updating so there should be a chapter up every week and in between.

Love it or hate it still an obsession(:

* * *

Luke looks at the couple, this couldn't be happening. "Jess?"

"Hey uncle Luke."

Luke looked completely confused. "um, your mom is looking for you Rory. Something about not showing up by the bonfire." He said gesturing with his hands.

Rory nodded.

"I'll just let you two get dressed." He says calmly and walks away.

"He was calm." Rory says grabbing her shirt.

"Yeah with you here." Jess said hunching over running his hand through his hair.

"What are you thinking?" Rory asks leaning against his shoulder.

"I'm thinking I'm supposed to leaving."

Rory looks taken back. "What?"

"Rory this changes nothing, I don't belong here."

"But you love me."

"Yeah I do but I can't stay here. Not in Stars hollow."

Rory gets up from the bed and starts searching for her clothes.

"Rory come on,"

She says nothing just puts her hair up in a bun and pulls on her jacket. Jess gets out of the and pulls on his boxers. She walks over to door.

"Get out here, the sooner the better." She says before pulling the door open and slamming it shut.

Jess runs over to the door hoping to catch it before she slams it, he doesn't he leans against it for a second before slamming his fist against the glass and walking over to his bed.

Luke opens the door of the apartment, "what happened? Rory just stormed out here."

"Just me being me." Jess says before picking up his jeans and shirt.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm gonna go back to New York."

"Wait something you've been waiting to happen with Rory finally happened and you're leaving?"

"I have to uncle Luke, this town isn't me." He says as he finishes tying his shoe then pulls on his blue sweater. "It's you and Rory not me."

"So that's it? You're just gonna run away like before?"

Jess says nothing and grabs his leather jacket. "See you don't have to deal with me anymore."

"Jess you can't just leave without an explanation. Ok I saw Rory last time, she fell apart." Jess walks over to the door, "you know how long it took before she could go into the bookstore, she didn't come into the diner for almost two weeks." Jess puts his hand on the door knob. "Don't go without telling her."

Jess shakes his head and opens up the door and walks out.

--

Lorelei walks out of the house bundled in a sweater and jeans.

Rory is sitting on the steps crying.

"Rory?" Lorelei says sitting down next to her. Rory looks up her eyes red. "Oh my god, what happened?"

"Jess happened." Rory says leaning against her mother's shoulder, Lorelei wraps her arm around her.

"What did he do?"

"He told me he loved me."

Lorelei's eyes widen, "what?"

"And we had sex."

"Excuse me?"

"It all happened so fast."

"Oh honey."

"And now he's saying he's still leaving."

"What a jerk." Lorelei says rubbing Rory's shoulder.

"I don't know what to do." Rory says covering her eyes with her hand and hunches over into Lorelei's lap."

--

Jess walks up to the door, "come on, you can do this."

He takes a deep breath and knocks on the door.

Lorelei pulls open the door, "oh great."

Jess rolls his eyes, "is Rory here?"

"No she went back to school. Actually it was because you slept with her and told her you're still gonna leave."

Jess sighs and looks down at the porch.

"You don't even care. Because if you did you wouldn't be leaving."

"Lorelei you don't understand what it feels like to not belong somewhere."

"Actually for sixteen years I did."

Jess scoffs, "I care about Rory but come on, if I stayed everyone would hate me, and I couldn't do that to Luke anymore. I need to make it on my own."

"Whatever you call it, you're giving up one of the best things that will ever happen to you."

"I know."

"Well as long as you know I guess." Lorelei says frustrated.

"Whatever, I don't know why I came here anyway." Jess says stepping off the porch, he gets into his brown car.

Lorelei closes the door.

--

"I know Paris." Rory says into her cell phone.

"You can't be to careful with these things."

"I know."

"Say I know more time and it will become redundant."

Rory chuckles, she walks into someone, "oh sorry." She looks up. Jess.

"Hey Paris I have to go."

"Ok see you back at the dorm."

Rory puts her cell phone into her pocket. "What are you doing here?"

"Um, well."

"Saying goodbye? Nice change of pace." She says angrily and brushes past him.

"Rory come on, you have to understand where I'm coming from." He says walking to keep up with her. "I'll buy you coffee."

"No."

"Rory please." Jess grabs her arm and spins her around. "Please."

"No Jess. Look I'm sorry but you and me are done. So just go like you said you were going to." Rory says and walks away again, this time Jess doesn't follow her.

* * *

Mean? I know(:

But wait until the next chapter, hopefully it will make up for it.

And this is an eventual LIT. I'm using the slow build technique which I haven't used yet.

Be patient. Get to Reviewing. Love you all.


	3. Life without your significant other

Ok, I read the last chapter, and all I could think is what the fuck am I thinking? I'm mean.

But here's the low down, you know how Rory goes like months without seeing Jess? Yeah I'm gonna show you my take after all this shit that went down.

Music: "Shake that" Eminem.

Book: The It Girl by Cecily von Ziegesar

--

"Here first month's rent." Jess says handing a balding guy two hundreds.

"Ok room, 7c." He takes the money and tucks it in his breast pockets.

"Did you say something about roommates?"

"Yeah you guys can something up so you're not paying the whole rent every time."

"They paid too?"

"Um yeah, see there's three of you, so here's first month. Todd paid second month, Evan paid for third. You can split it up if you want." The guy crosses his arms. Bored obviously.

Jess shakes his head and starts for the stairs, clutching his backpack tighter. It wasn't the nicest area but better then anywhere else.

He walks up to the door taking out the key out of his jacket pocket. He opens it slowly.

To find a guy sitting at the counter drinking a new castle beer and another guy laying on his mattress reading a magazine.

The guy at the counter looked up, he had short shaggy hair and green eyes. "Hey."

"Hi, I'm Jess."

The other guy looked up from his bed, his blonde shaggy hair falling into his brown eyes.

"Oh cool new roommate. I'm Todd." The blonde says.

"Evan." The black haired guy says waving his hand slightly.

"Which mattress is mine?" Jess asks.

"The one in the corner." Evan says pointing to it.

Jess nods and walks over and sets his bag down.

"Where are you coming from?" Todd asks sitting up.

"Uh," Jess sits down. "California."

Evan nods and gets up and walks over to the fridge. "Beer?"

"Please."

Evan walks over and hands him and Todd each a beer.

"California? What's that like?" Todd asks twisting off his cap.

"Hot." Jess twists off his too, "all the time."

"Not like here then."

Jess shakes his head and looks at his watch, "damn it. I have work." Jess stands up setting the bottle on the counter. "Is it always this exciting?" He asks going back over to his backpack taking out his jacket.

"Hard to believe but you actually caught us on a good day." Todd says sipping his beer.

Jess smirks, "it's ok. I'm big boy I can entertain myself."

Evan chuckles.

--

"I love that you're getting horses, but you left out one little detail of your story, that pony didn't go to sleep. It died. It died and then it's owner dragged him away by the back legs. Whenever I use glue I think of him. Gotta go love you." Rory says into her phone.

"Hey Jess!" A guy yells from behind her, she turns wide eyed.

A guy tosses a football right past her head barely missing her.

"I got it. Sorry." His eyes were bright blue and they stood out with his blonde hair. "It didn't hit you did it?" Rory shakes her head unable to say anything.

"Jess throw it back!" The guy yells again.

"Coming!" He runs back.

She shakes her head and starts walking again in the opposite direction that she was going in. She realizes and turns around, she rubs her forehead and walks away.

--

Just a look at what they're going through without each other.

Reviews are great(:

And yes slow healing is so much better.


	4. Sorry !

Ok so this is my pitful author's note. I am a terrible person. I am so mad at myself that I haven't give you guys a new chapter. I love the reviews they are seriously everything to me(:

So I promise to have a new chapter up as soon as possible (ASAP, but I like writing it out better).

I'm pretty proud of my response for this story. It was definitely my best yet. So don't worry Remake and What could've been will have updates in the next two weeks (hopefully).

Watch for my profile updates.


	5. The things that keep you going

I'm back !

Well at least I have a new chapter up.

Don't be mad, be mad at the economy I had to move and we didn't turn on the internet for a month. Ridiculous I know.

But I've also been obsessed with a show recently. Friday Night Lights. Two words. Taylor Kitsch. :)

Oh well enjoy. Be warned its not my best

--

Rory sighs closing her text book. She's been sitting in the library of a whole ten minutes. There wasn't one book that had caught her interested.

Because,

Books led to, reading.

Reading led to reading up in Luke's apartment.

Reading up in Luke's apartment led to reading up in Luke's apartment with Jess.

She hated him for leaving. Leaving and giving her these stupid memories to remember him by.

Whatever.

She grabs her math book and flips to her new section, math had to take her mind off of…

"Hey Rory." A male voice says suddenly.

She looks and Marty is walking toward her with two cups of coffee in his hands. "Oh hey Marty."

"Coffee?" Marty holds out one of the cups.

"Yes please." She takes it from him and he sits down from across from her. She takes a sip, "thanks."

"So you've been out of it lately."

"Yeah sorry about that." Rory says setting down the cup.

"I was kinda wondering why."

"Oh well,"

"I when you don't have to tell me if you don't want to but I think we're friends so anything you say will be ok."

"Ok." She takes a deep breath. "I had sex with my ex-boyfriend and then he left to New York. So I haven't been able to get him out of my mind because everything reminds me of him. I've been down lately because with me always thinking of him I can't concentrate of anything and so now I have to drop a course. I can't get work done and I'm not even thinking clearly. That's why I've been kinda out of it lately." Rory says picking up the cup again.

Marty looks taken back, "wow."

"Yeah."

"Um, I'm sorry. I don't really know what to say to that."

She smiles and chuckles lightly. "Marty it's ok."

"Well at least I asked right?"

"Yeah at least you asked. Thanks for trying."

"Are you gonna be ok?"

She shrugged, great another Jess thing to do. "Yeah. Soon."

He nods and stands up, "hey can I borrow your math textbook? I hate getting them from library."

She nods and picks it up for him to grab, "no problem just drop it by my room when you're done."

"Ok, thanks Rory." He says clutching the book and walks away from her table.

She sighs and opens up her bag and pulls out a worn copy of Oliver Twist and opens it up and starts reading.

--

Jess's says pager goes off breaking him out of trance as he reads Oliver Twist. He looks at it and marks his page and stands up.

"Hey Todd it's four." Jess says kicking his sleeping blonde friend on the way over to the fridge.

"No! I need sleep Mariano." Todd says clutching his blanket.

"Todd you have to be at work in half and hour." Jess says closing the fridge and walks over to the counter grabbing his messenger bag. "Now I have to go to work. You better not still be here when I get back. You take one more sick day and you're gonna get fired."

"You work to much." Todd says pushing the blanket off himself and sits up. "You need a vacation."

"Yeah whatever. And you need to stop smoking pot but hey I'm not gonna judge."

"Shut up Jess." Todd says tiredly and stands up walking to the bathroom.

"What are you doing?"

"Going to take a shower."

Jess shakes his head and puts his bag over his shoulder, "you are so totally covering water this month."

"Whatever man. Please leave so you can go to your lame job."

Jess sighs as Todd walks into the bathroom. He takes a look at the apartment and walks out hearing his pager go off again.

--

I Promise it will be longer next time. But I needed to get a chapter to you guys.

Review please it sucks I know.


	6. Fill in the Blanks

Sorry. I'm kinda slacking on the thinking process lately. I was watching one the episodes after this scene, thought of some stuff. Hopefully a long chapter ahead.

--

Luke is walking through a dirty hallway, holding a piece of paper in his hand. He gets to a door marked 7, he puts the piece of paper in his shirt pocket and knocks on the door. Jess wearing a pale yellow shirt opens the door.

"Hey neighbor, the guys next door just ran out of crack to sell, so they sent me over to borrow a cup." Luke says sarcastically as he makes his way into the apartment. "Wow, nice place did you put those holes there yourself?" He says pointing up.

"What are you doing here?" Jess says slamming the door.

"I just wanted to see how you're doing."

"Doing great."

"You're doing great? I'm not doing great and I have running water."

"This place is fine."

"Fine not great? What happened to great?"

"All this and no house warming gift."

"Sorry, I just wanted to come and see if you're going absolutely nowhere with your life. Glad I'm wrong." He holds up his hands. "So which filthy mattress is yours?" Luke says pointed to the three.

Jess points to one, "the one over there."

"Oh you get the good corner the view of the mold."

"Yeah I won the toss." He says walking over and putting on his shoe. "Now if you don't mind, I've got places to be."

"I'll just get down to it then." Luke clasps his hands together. "Liz says you're not coming to the wedding."

"No way you're here about that."

"I am here about that."

"Why?"

"Why? Your mother's getting married and you're not coming."

"No worries I'll just catch the next one."

"Jess, this guy is different." Jess scoffs. "He seems different."

"Oh jeez man." Jess says walking past him into the kitchen area.

"Look I've seen him and Liz, they seem to work."

Jess opens the refrigerator and leans down to look in.

"You are gonna regret this."

"Doubt it."

"No you are, and if you ever get out of this selfish self destructive behavior that you are so fond of. If that ever happens you are gonna feel like a big steaming mound of crap that you missed this. This could be a turning point for your mother who yes has screwed up in the past." Jess nods. "But you refused that, you refused to be apart of that. You are going to be very sorry."

Jess's beeper goes off, he takes it of his pocket.

"What are you a drug dealer now?"

"No, messenger." Jess says walking over to his bed grabbing his bag, "hey Todd its four."

"You owe me." Luke says pointing at him, "I was there for you when no one else was. And you owe me."

"I gotta go." Jess says standing up straight.

"So do I." Luke looks at the door then back at Jess, "I'm going first."

Jess follows him out. "Hey Todd."

--

Jess is packing up a bag and Evan walks in holding a sandwich.

"Hey man where you going?"

"Mom's wedding." Jess grumbles throwing a pair of jeans into the duffel.

"The one you said you weren't going to?"

"Yep."

"Why?"

"Well my uncle came down here and gave me an ultimatum. So I gotta go."

"Hmm, where is it?"

"Stars Hollow. As you can see I'm jumping on the inside."

"Wait Stars Hollow. Isn't that where the ex lives?"

Jess freezes for a second, "yes."

"So there's a possibility of running into her."

"Pretty much."

"Oh wow. That's heavy."

"Well, this is fun but I got a hot date tonight."

"Your standards are so low you always have a hot date."

Evan smirks then shrugs.

--

"Tonight I got into a fight at a strip club with my nephew." Luke says crossing his arms. Staring at Jess, they had just gotten back for the bachelor party which had ended with Luke having to pull Jess off of TJ.

"A fight. I haven't been in a fight since the fourth grade. Vince Williams called me a doody head. I took it very personally. Tonight was good though, I felt this new sense of calm, live and let live. You are who you are. I cannot change that and I'm gonna stop trying. Man I wish I would've felt this earlier. I wouldn't have dragged you all the way out here. I apologize. But you really hate your mother that much than you shouldn't be here, you shouldn't walk her down the aisle."

"I don't hate my mother."

"You don't? Than why weren't you coming? Is it me? Do you hate me?"

"I don't hate you. I came here because of you."

"Stop." Luke scoffed.

"You said it was important to you remember?"

"I remember I didn't think you were listening."

"Oh I was listening."

"Ok than you don't hate your mom, you don't hate me. Why weren't you coming?"

"You know why?"

"Why?"

Jess sighs heavily.

"No Rory still?"

Jess looks down at his hands.

"So I never asked, what the hell happened with that anyway?"

"Nothing I told her I," he pauses.

"What?"

"I told her I loved her. Slept with her than left."

Luke shakes his head, "man you are so like your dad."

"Luke not even close."

Luke sighs, "any contact?"

Jess shakes his head.

"Jess, you can't leave something like that out in the open."

"Why not?"

"Well because for her it was a big deal."

"It was a deal for me too Luke, I love Rory. I can't expect her to give me anymore chances."

"Jess, that has got to be the most mature thing you have said to me."

Jess smirks.

"She's at school."

Jess nods, "good. I hope she's happy." He says getting up and walking towards the stairs.

"Jess," Luke says and Jess turns to look at him, "she doesn't have a boyfriend."

"Good to know." Jess says and walks upstairs.

Luke shakes his head, smiling slightly. He stands up and put the chairs back up on the table.

--

Jess dials a number written down on a little piece of paper in Rory's small scribble. It had the address of her residence hall and her number. She had left them before leaving the apartment.

It rings a couple times before a sleepy voice picks up, "hello?" she says. It was her.

He felt like a girl. Calling and hanging up. But he felt pretty pathetic right now as it is.

He sighed before grabbing his jacket and his keys, he walks out of the apartment door quietly. Throwing his leather jacket over his white shirt.

--

Jess opens the door to the hallway. Then walks over to suite five. He lightly knocks hoping at least someone would be awake at the late hour. It was only eleven but still.

A short girl with curly hair opens the door slightly.

"Hello?"

"Hi, is Rory here?"

"Um yeah, she's asleep though."

"That's ok. I'm Jess."

"I'm Tanna," she says opening the door all the way. "I really shouldn't open the door for strangers."

"I'm not a stranger. I'm a, a, friend of Rory's." He said unsteadily trying to find the right word for what they were.

Tanna shrugs, "I was about to go to bed anyway."

She walks away from the door, he takes that as the clue to go in. He closes the door behind him and Tanna points to Rory's room. She goes into her room and he goes into Rory's trying to be quietly.

He shrugs off his jacket and toes off his shoes. He walks over to Rory's bed and quietly as possible lifts up her covers and climbs in. He snuggles up to her and puts his arm around her. She sub-consciously clutches him closer.

"I love you." He says lightly.

"I love you." She says back in her sleep.

He shakes his head lightly, nuzzling into her neck.

--

Rory walks out into the common room. Tanna is sitting on the couch flipping through the channels.

"Hey Tanna what class do you have today?"

"Just a prep class. Hey did it go last night?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Um with, Jess?"

Rory's eyes widened. "Jess wasn't here."

"Yeah he showed up at like eleven or something last night."

"Wait, I thought that was a dream."

"He must've left this morning." Tanna says turning back to the TV.

Rory shakes her head, "there is no way he was here, he's in New York."

"Rory I'm telling you he was here last night. He came and wanted to talk to you."

"Oh my god, Jess is back."

Rory brushes some hair out of her face and adjusts her book bag. "I have class. I'll deal with this later."

She walks towards the door, "way later."

--

**Ok I know how many alerts are on this, let's see some reviews my babies(: **

**I hope it works for now. I'll be back soon enough, full time. **


	7. Another Unforunate

**Extremely long dramatic pause.**

**New Chapter, I am so sorry for the vacation. Life has been pretty crazy these last couple years. Can I say I'm sorry again?**

* * *

Jess is back.

That thought had been going around and around her head for the past day; she could barely focus on her one of her last midterms.

"There are kids partying like there is no tomorrow, which there isn't for those who don't have a Saturday final such as I. I'm pathetic I should just have two of them repeatedly high five my forehead from both sides, put me out of my misery."

Lorelei laughs at the overdramatic story telling her daughter has picked up from her. She's walking around the Dragon Fly herself, straightening things on the front desk and walking over to the mantle.

"Yep two more just rubbing my face in it."

"Well I guess this is as good of a time as any, I have some news. It involves the "J" word."

"Oh no more about Jesus I'm sick of him and Mel Gibson."

"Jess," Lorelei says sighing. She looks over towards the dining room and a big white horse is just standing there, "What the-!" She gasps, "Cleatus!"

"Mom?"

"Oh sorry, Cleatus is in the dining room."

"Why?"

"He heard about our great continental breakfast? I don't know."

"What were you going to say about Jess?"

"He's town for the wedding."

"I figured."

There's a pause, "I have to deal with this horse situation but why are you so calm?"

"I'm adopting a zen."

"I'm not buying that for a second. Were you planning on coming home this weekend?"

"Thinking about it, lot's of packing to be done after this final."

"Well let me know so I can at least try to be home."

Rory walks into her suite to see Jess sitting on the couch. "What the hell?"

"You okay, honey?"

"Yeah, mom you take care of Cleatus I have to go."

"Okay call me later."

Rory drops her phone to her side. "Jess, what are you doing here?"

"Oh James Dean over there has been silent since Tana let him in." Janet says dropping a box next to two others, "I wanted to say goodbye before you have to deal with this."

Rory smiles softly and gives a Janet a hug.

Tana and her boyfriend, Chester walk out from her room, she's holding a huge collage and he's holding a red solo cup.

"Did you get yourself a chunky monkey?"

"A what?"

"Everyone pours whatever alcohol they have left in a bowl and that's what's in the cups, tastes gross but does the trick."

"It was to port for me but I stashed one for you in the fridge."

Rory nods and looks over at Jess who is now staring at his hands.

"You might need it." Janet says patting her on the back.

"Have you guys seen Paris?"

"She left a little bit ago, but she said she would be back, it was a dinner or something."

As everyone moves around the dorm and eventually leaves. Jess had shed his jacket and helped Janet's boyfriend take some boxes out to her car. Rory had started packing her own boxes and drinking her Chunky Monkey. Jess had been watching TV and smoking a cigarette out of her living room window.

"Rory," A voice suddenly enters the dorm. Jess puts his cigarette out and sits back down on the couch.

"Grandma?" Rory turns and Emily Gilmore is standing there with a frown on her face staring at Jess sitting on the couch.

"Oh, I didn't think you would have company. Especially you." She almost sneers.

Jess stands up and walks over to where they're standing.

"You know you really shouldn't smoke in a dorm, someone else is going to be staying her next fall." She says clutching her purse to her.

"Oh well at least that won't be for a couple months." Jess shrugs. "Mrs. Gilmore, always a pleasure."

"Grandma, what are you doing here?"

"I had a lunch with a friend on campus and I know you mentioned having a final and I thought I would stop by. I didn't realize you were seeing_ him_ again." Emily turns her whole body towards Rory.

"I'm not seeing him again, Luke sent him to help me with some boxes I'm taking back to Stars Hollow." Rory mumbles turning back towards her box.

"Oh! Good, I have someone I want you to meet then."

Rory almost winces when Jess turns to her. His face held sadness for a split second and then emotionless again. "Alcohol on your breath, Ror." He says and then goes to sit back on the couch.

"Rory, this is Graham." Emily brings him through the door. "He was another unfortunate to have a Saturday final as well." They shake hands. "He also mentioned something about going out with some friends tonight, would you like to join them?"

"Oh well thank you, I mean that's a really nice offer."

"But you can't say yes with your boyfriend sitting there, right?" He says smirking.

"He's not my boyfriend. I just kind of have plans tomorrow and can't be out to ridiculously late."

"Oh I won't keep you out too late." He winks. Rory smiles for a second.

"Well this is perfect, I'll leave you two to work out plans." Emily hugs Rory, "Bye Rory."

"Bye Grandma," Rory says trying to blow her breath away from her grandmother.

Once she's out the door Graham walks a little closer, "Rule number one when your grandmother is starts making plans and is smiling at you kind of funny begin evasive maneuvers immediately."

"Got stuck in that one myself." Rory says putting her hands in her pockets.

"Well you are more than welcome to come it's going to be pretty low key, you two man." Graham gestures to Jess.

"You know I don't know it's not really my thing."

"Sure why not?" Jess says getting up, "I'm Jess by the way."

Rory just looks at him, "Um, I guess I'll go."

* * *

They're sitting at a little table drinking water as they watch the people they came with do shots.

"Wow, your grandmother thought I was bad." Jess smirks trying to break the silence with Rory.

She sighs and uncrosses her arms, "She sees a nice boy that goes to Yale in a dress shirt and assumes he isn't like every other young adult male." She looks at him and stares at his water, "Jess."

"What?" He doesn't look at her.

"You're really just going to sit there? I've been wondering what the hell you're doing here since this afternoon and you're just sitting there."

He doesn't say anything.

"Jess, you can't just show up whenever it's convenient for you to be here. What did you think was going to happen?"

"Honestly? I don't know, I just didn't want to be away from you while I was here."

"While you're here, which means you're leaving again."

"Rory," He starts.

"No, you can't do this."

"Hey how are you guys doing over here?" Graham walks over holding a beer and sitting next to Rory.

"Really wishing I was twenty-one that's for sure." Jess mutters.

"I told you could partake in the pregame if you wanted." Graham laughs and takes a sip of his beer.

"Lucky duck!" His friend Jonah yells from the bar.

"Lucky duck!" Graham says and downs the rest of his beer. "Let's go." He says to Rory.

"We just got here."

"What's the pub crawl without the crawl?"

"Look you're not taking Rory in the car if that guy is driving." Jess points to Jonah who is drunkenly looking for his keys.

"Jonah is a great drunk driver." Graham laughs again.

"Yeah as much as I hate to say this I'm going to have to agree with Jess on this one."

"You're loss." Graham shrugs and stands up and walks away.

"What a douchebag." Jess says taking a sip of his water.

"Pretty much."

"I'm hungry, are you hungry? I'll buy."

"Okay," A waitress walks by, "Excuse me can we see a menu please?"

"Yeah will this be going on your tab?" She hands her two menus from her apron.

"What?" Rory asks.

"The card at the bar, it's open."

Rory looks over at Jess "Put your wallet away and I hope you're really hungry."

"I could eat." He says looking at the menu.

"Well we'll start with the appetizer sample platter."

The waitress actually laughs.

* * *

After they're extensive dinner, desert included, they're walking through the Yale campus holding hands. She showed him where some of her classes were and he smiled because she seemed so happy jumping around talking about the classes she wanted to take next year. Once to her dorm room she plays with room keys, contemplating what she wanted to happen.

"Were you planning on going to my mom's wedding?"

"I was thinking about it, I know my mom is actually excited." She smiles for a second, "We went on a date tonight."

He thinks about it, "I guess we did." He walks closer to her, "Rory can I ask you something?"

She shrugs, "Sure."

"Will you be my date for my mom's wedding?"

She looks at him and lets out a breath and smiles. "I thought you'd never ask."

He actually smiles and leans forward to kiss her. She wraps her arms around his shoulders and he pushes her up against the door. One hand in her short hair and the other braced flat against the door. She pulls away from him for a second and unlocks the door.

"Would you like to come in?"

"You know I shouldn't since this is our first date everything." He smirks when she grabs the front of his leather jacket and pulls him into the room. Once the door is closed he pushes her against it again and she sheds her jacket her mouth never leaving his. She quickly pushes off his jacket too and pulls his shirt over his head. They end up on the couch, it's frantic and passionate. They hadn't even shed her shirt and her skirt had just been pushed up to her waist and his pants had moved just enough. After they catch their breath they move to her room and bed and this time it's slow and he presses kisses to her collarbone.

They're laying there with sheets wrapped around them, "This feels oddly familiar." Rory says snuggling into Jess's chest.

"I love you Rory."

"I know, I love you too." She presses a kiss to the underside of his jaw.

There's a very long pause.

"I think we should move together. Here in New Haven."

She pulls the sheet close to her and sits up. "Are you serious?"

* * *

**Cliffhanger, next up Liz's wedding. **

**I feel like there's more groveling to do on Jess's part, don't worry it will happen.**


End file.
